Sarah Donalda Treadgold Memorial Award - Woman of the Year

Sarah Donalda Treadgold was an active and conscientious volunteer who understood the value and importance of working for the community. She was deeply interested in education and initially volunteered for many years on Kelowna Elementary School's P.T.A. She was encouraged to run for the office of school trustee in 1924 and topped the polls in every election for the next 23 years. Sarah was unassuming and definitely not looking for glory or trying to gain popularity. She was a loving mother with good ideas and the passion to stand up for what she believed - much like the other women who have been and will be honoured with the Sarah Donalda Treadgold Memorial Award.

Award Criteria

Awarded to a woman in recognition of their outstanding voluntary contributions and community service to the city of Kelowna. Activities may be related to arts and culture, business, commerce, education, humanities, medical and recreation.

Selections are based on the nominee's achievements and contributions throughout 2017.

Past volunteer information may be included, but the nomination should focus on the current award year.

Nominees must not have personally benefited from their activities, nor should the contributions be considered part of their normal employment or job responsibilities.

H-O-P-E not only stands for Helping Out People Exploited but also spells HOPE, and hope is exactly what Kelly Taverner has been offering Kelowna women since 2013 as a volunteer with HOPE Outreach and the safe house, House of Hope. In 2016, she spent over 200 hours doing night time street outreach work for homeless and exploited women, planning and executing fundraisers for the organization and training new volunteers as well as managing all of their social media and marketing.

Kelly also founded Kelowna’s largest annual International Women’s Day event in 2016 and helped facilitate and create the Let’s Get Consensual campaign with the Sexual Assault and Awareness Club at UBC Okanagan.

Working with the United Way, Kelly facilitated a Homeless Simulation to help educate the community. For the past 3 years, she’s participated in the 5 Days For Homeless campaign at UBCO, sleeping outside with other volunteers.

In addition to all this, Kelly volunteered to support the Provincial Ovar ian Cancer Walk of Hope and took on her office’s representation on the BC Cancer Foundation’s Discovery Luncheon Planning committee and the sponsorship of Okanagan College’s Silver Surfer program for seniors.